How much do you beleive in it?

If a person says "I love you":

How much do you beleive in his words?

What kind of things make these words more powerful or less powerful?

I don't pay attention to words in general, they're usually empty. It's a very primitive and unclear way of communicating. So those words are nice and all, but they can't really touch me or anything.

Good answer,

But I wonder what others think too.

I agree that words can be surpassed in search of deeper meaning, but 'primitive' doesn't seem to me to be the right word to describe it. Actions and Impulses and Intuition seems 'very primitive' to me, not words - words are much too CIVILIZED for deep analysis.

From what I sense, at all times, primitive actions and reactions are the BEST and clearest indicators of what someone is really trying to Communicate, regardless of the civilzed masks they cover it up with..(like debating or fabricating with words and word choice and all that other good stuff).

Primitive drives (sex drive & survival drive) no nothing of words - primitive people focus on sounds/tones/vocal inflections/pitch/volume, etc. - that's how you can tell if an 'I Love You' is said by someone who fed the words to you from their tongues, or fed the words to you from their souls!

"souls"....I was out with a man this past weekend - he made a point a couple of times of sharing with me that the eyes are the windows to the soul. He can tell by looking into a womans eyes her character. Hmmm....okay then. I do believe that the eyes do tell a lot about a person but there is so much more. ACTIONS ...whoa, big one here!!!! anyone can say anything and believe me they do - so goils...WATCH what a man DOES not what he says - the body does not lie. Guys, you do the same.

"I Love You"....I've always really wondered what a guy meant when he said that - for some, it was the key to the door for sex - ya, didn't buy that one! Next!

Good question Haff-O

"1 Corinthians 13
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

** Humans can never possess perfect love, though some possess more than others. **

Their actions. I look at what they do rather than what they say. for example, my roommate leaves the light on for me every night, we're not romantically involved but I appreciate that more than 10 "I love you". If someone sacrifices for me, it really moves me. Action speaks louder than words.

Yes and no. Depends on the situation, if u are deep within a relationship then the word has meaning especially the way u were brought up. If u were brought up in a home where an expression of love is followed by the word then u would believe,hence it will carry on into the realtionship. However, if u jus say i love u,and no expressions of it is shown or even felt then it aint believable.

Depends on the person saying it,if it's someone I trust then I believe them.Normally,
I don't put much weight on words...I trust my instincts and if I feel that someone loves me, they don't have to say it aloud.Which leads to my own problem:inability to say it myself...I'd rather people understand how I feel about them from my actions.But apparently most people need some sort of a verbal sign...too bad!

Well tough question there....haff to think on that one........!!!

*mwah*

Depends on the situation,like for say if you came to america and had some skronny,short ass chick just out of nowhere wonder over to you and tell you "I love you" that could be me and yes I'd be lying because it's just funny to see peoples reactions to that.Complete strangers telling you they love you is scary.For the actual answer it would depend on the type of relationship,the type of person they are and how they express themselves,some people aren't to good with the mushy stuff whereas others are it can but it also can't prove anything by the "showing it".Sometimes you have to take thier word for it if they haven't done anything wrong,like for instance are you going to doubt your dad saying it?I have alot of aquarians in my family,doesn't mean they don't care by being unsure of how to express things in the "emotions" department.

If you use words in a "non-chalant" manner than no one will take you seriously whether you are saying "I love you" or reciting mathematical equations.

I have only said "I love you" to my family (Mother, father, brothers, step-sister, nieces, and my ex-husband). Therefore when I use the words "I love you" people take me very seriously.

As for others...People use the words so easily that I rarely take them seriously.

"Sagitaurius, I can see that you are obviously a woman. Women have a tendency to say something and mean something else. Typically men normally say what they mean. I think lying is a proble with women. I like women, but lately I've learned how not to listen to them."

Okay, this is down right weird! SagitTAUries, I thought you were umm let's say one very attractive Taurean MALE...was I wrong?! Damn, there goes my elaborate plans...😛

Branh, you're absolutely right. Women are EVIL, they lie, they are superficial, they are impractical...I think you should just give up trying to communicate with a species that are obviously intellectually inferior to you...why lower your standards? Give it a rest then...be happy with people who satisfy your "psychological" needs.

I feel for ya, Branh.You seem to be so very confused...look how you saw what sagitTAUries wrote and immediately jumped to the conclusion that he was a woman.Maybe you're doing the same thing when it comes to the women in your life. You think they have a hidden agenda...they want you to change..think rationally they liked you in the first place b/c you are Branh...if they want something else,they'll choose someone else. I think you are looking for hidden clues when there are none.Don't be so paranoid.

Take care.

Branh....
A frightened misogynist...—
Who'd a thunk it...
I 'll take any " I love you ' I get...
There's not enough love in this world...
And frankly..when I say it...I mean it...
And I say it...a lot.

Personaly I find the truth is always hidden in a persons face, mainly the eyes. If they can see you eye to eye stare at you deeply and tell you how they claim to feel you can tell the truth.

So Brahn's a dude now? Yes?

Brahn

Men don't need to lie to women just to avoid drama. They just need to find the right woman. Please don't write all women off as "bad communicator" or "high maintenance". There are some extraordinary women out there who are fun, intelligent, easy going, effective communicators.



Quotations

Man loves little and often, woman much and rarely.- Basta

The first sigh of love is the last of wisdom.- Antoine Bret

Man's love is of man's life a thing apart, 'Tis woman's whole existence. - Don Juan

Love with men is not a sentiment, but and idea.- Mme. De Girardin

Love is an ocean of emotions, entirely surrounded by expenses. - Lord Dewar

We are all born for love...It is the principle of existence and its only end. -Disraeli

Man begins by loving love and ends by loving a woman. Woman begins by loving a man and ends by loving love - Remy De Gourmont

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear - I John, IV.18